LIVONIA, Mich. - A wild day at Illitch Ballpark ended with the Madonna University baseball team earning a doubleheader sweep over WHAC rival Aquinas College on Sunday afternoon. The Crusaders took game one 17-10, before winning the nightcap 5-4 in 10 innings to move to 5-0 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference action.
Game 1:
Aquinas scored the first two runs of the game in the first inning before Matt Staelgrave answered with a two-run single in the bottom half of the frame to tie the game at 2-2. Madonna extended their lead to 6-2 in the second inning after two-run home runs by both Jace Matkin and Alex Garbacik. The slugfest continued in the third as Aquinas scored three runs in the top of the third, before RBI doubles in the bottom half by Garbacik and Kyle Revere made it 8-5.
After scoring again in the bottom of the fourth, Madonna blew the game open in the bottom of the fifth by scoring eight runs. The inning was highlighted by a Bobby Cavin home run and Zachary Beadle RBI double off the fence. The Crusaders final run came courtesy of Derek Ruiz, who doubled home Aaron Sexton to make it 17-5 after five innings.
The Saints didn't quit however, scoring five runs in the top of the sixth thanks to a two-run single and three-run home run. That was as close as they got, and Madonna emerged victorious in game one.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- On the mound it was Nate Blain who earned the win after pitching five full innings and recording nine strikeouts.
- Along with four RBIs, Garbacik had three hits and was a triple shy of the cycle.
- Kyle Revere and Anthony Sharkas recorded three hits each.
Game 2:
In what turned out to be an instant classic, the Crusaders struck first as Matkin went opposite field for a two-run home run in the first inning to make it 2-0. He hit his second home run of the game in the bottom of the third inning to give Madonna a 3-0 lead.
Aquinas responded by scoring in the top of the fifth and sixth innings to cut the lead to just one run. In the bottom of the sixth, Madonna came back with a run of their own to make it 4-2 following a double by Garbacik that scored Brady Krzciok. Unfortunately, the Saints tied things up in the top of the eighth at 4-4. Madonna had a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth after an Anthony Sharkas triple, but Cavin flew out to center field and allowed Aquinas to escape out of the jam and send the game to extra innings.
After a scoreless top half of the 10th, the teams moved on to the bottom of the 10th inning. The Saints got the first two outs of the frame rather easily and in came Krzciok. The freshman sent a ball over the right-center field fence for a home run and gave the Crusaders the dramatic 5-4 walk-off victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- It was Krzciok's second home run of the season.
- Carson Collins earned the win on the mound after pitching 2.1 innings of relief and striking out two batters.
- Getting the start on the bump was Riley Vermander, who went six innings and allowed just two runs while striking out 10.
UP NEXT:
The Crusaders head to Rochester University for a conference doubleheader at 1:00 PM Tuesday, March 28th.
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